VAN GERWEN VOWS “NO TARGETS”

MIGHTY Michael van Gerwen blasted he doesn’t “need to give statements” after winning back-to-back Premier League nights. 

The dynamic Dutchman KO’d World No.1 Luke Humphries 6-5 in the final at the 11,000 sell-out OVO Hydro in Glasgow on Thursday night. 

MVG confessed that he hardly got out of second gear to beat home star Peter Wright, Rob Cross and then the world champ to take a three-point lead at the top of the table.

He said: “I won and I didn’t play well, which is a good thing.

“It wasn’t my best performance, but I always believe in my ability and I think I did the right things at the right moments.

“Last year I said to myself, I want to win so many weeks, but this year I am going to look week-by-week and game-by-game and then we’ll see what happens. I think I’ll be at my best.

“I have put so much pressure on myself. No targets. I’d say I’m at 90 per cent of my game.”

Humphries had been below par since winning his crown at the Ally Pally last month, but displayed some of his best at the OVO Hydro.

It was not enough to halt the Dutchman, but the victor insists it was not about sending out messages.

Van Gerwen added: “I don’t need to give statements anymore. I can beat anyone if I play my game. They are depending on me. That is fact. I believe in myself. That’s how it is.”

‘Cool Hand’ certainly showed glimpses of the class that took him to the world title and powered into the top four. 

He had produced a 105.53 average to win his quarter-final against Nathan Aspinall, who missed double 12 for a nine-darter in leg two but led 3-1 before Hump reeled off five straight legs.

The 29-year-old also averaged over 100 in his semi-final win over Gerwyn Price, comfortably beating the Welshman 6-3 to reach his first nightly final.

Price had earlier denied Luke Littler in the deciding leg of a high-quality quarter-final which saw him miss double 12 for a nine-darter and the teenager land a ten-darter and a 138 finish.

Cross was the night’s other quarter-final winner as he denied Michael Smith, following up an earlier 11-darter and a 116 finish with a superb match-winning 144 checkout.

But there was more misery for Wright on home soil with the opening 6-2 defeat by Van Gerwen. 

‘Snakebite’ missed SEVENTEEN doubles and has now slumped to the bottom of the table with three win-less weeks but remained defiant about his position and form.

After a spine-tingling welcome by the fans, Wright was visibly devastated after the clash and admitted: “I was just thinking Michael is not even on it and I couldn’t even punish him. It is one of those games. Annoying.

“I don’t know, maybe I have too much respect for Michael, I don’t know.

“But the crowd was fantastic. It was nice to see a full house and I really appreciate that and I hope they enjoy the rest of the night.

“I was gutted I let them down. Even at 5-1 down I was thinking, Michael is not on it, still I could win this game.

“I know what my game is and I was ready but Michael probably would have stepped up if I started hitting something.”

Wright has shown signs of improvement over the past week but admits he still has work to do.

He added: “My finishing got me out of sticky situations on the ProTour, but my finishing there wasn’t great. Terrible, to be honest.

“But you aren’t playing in front of 11,000 people at a floor tournament. You are playing to a home crowd and that added extra pressure. It’s hard to deal with to be honest.

“I felt great, practice was going really good and maybe in a couple of weeks it might start coming out in the Premier League. I’ll finish in the top four, definitely. I will get better and there’s lots more to come.

“I played rubbish last year and managed to nail down and focus. I think I will become more consistent and harder to beat. Back to my old self and maybe better.” 

The Premier League continues on Thursday, February 22 at the Utilita Arena in Newcastle, where Van Gerwen opens his Night Four challenge against Price.

Humphries will take on Cross in the quarter-finals, while Smith faces Aspinall and Wright will play Littler in their Newcastle opener.

Images by Taylor Lanning.